Why the NRL needs to reshape the game once it returns on May 28th
With the NRL locked in on a return date, the powers that be must examine the game closely in an effort to reshape rugby league forever, writes MATTY JOHNS.
Opinion
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Roosters coach Trent Robinson spoke this week about the tremendous opportunity the NRL has been given through this period of adversity due to the coronavirus shutdown.
Throughout the game’s history, rugby league has always been brave enough to make changes that would enhance it as a spectator sport.
It’s had to, it’s what the game has survived on, bums on seats and eyes on television sets.
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When the working men of Yorkshire split from the Rugby Football Union, they changed the rules to make their new professional rugby code faster and more entertaining to draw crowds and revenue for the players to share in.
Since then the game hasn’t stopped evolving.
Its rules have changed with the constant core principle in mind — entertainment.
So here we are with a rare opportunity.
An opportunity to assess where we are as a sport. What’s working, what’s not? Are we happy with how and where the game has evolved to?
While Robinson spoke about acknowledging the financial hardships which our sport, and most other sports, are about to experience, we can’t miss this opportunity to experiment as the game prepares for its biggest reset.
VIDEO TECHNOLOGY
Do we think video technology makes rugby league a better game?
I absolutely do not.
I’m anticipating what your next question will be. How would I feel if a refereeing decision
cost a team a grand final?
Yep, I’d be disappointed. In fact, if it was my team, I’d be shattered.
But I think the stop-start nature in relying on video technology doesn’t just heavily impact the flow and rhythm of a game, it negatively affects the fabric of the sport. A potential refereeing blunder in a big game is the lesser of the two evils.
And let’s face it, even with all the time and money wasted with having video technology, we’re still getting mistakes from officials, and we always will.
Here’s our opportunity to have a serious discussion about the video referee.
Do we get rid of it, if we agree the sport was a better spectacle without the disruption?
Or is there a way to reduce its influence on how it affects the games’ flow.
LESS INTERCHANGE, MORE FATIGUE
A few years back, myself and a number of others lobbied then NRL boss Dave Smith and Todd Greenberg about interchange reduction.
At that stage the interchange number was at 10 and we pushed for six.
Our argument centred around fatigue reducing the number of players coming into a tackle, and the amount of wrestling, thus speeding up the play-the-balls and opening up the game.
They saw the benefits of the reduction but were concerned about player welfare and fatigue leading to more injuries.
They went away and got their medical people to look into the link between fatigue and injury and found more damage was done by fresh, explosive players, than those low on gas.
Smith and Greenberg agreed to reduce interchange but believed 10 to six was too dramatic and instead opted for eight, with a view to going to six in a couple of seasons.
We’re still at eight.
The bottom line is, fatigue advantages the attack as there’s less wrestle and faster rucks. The double bonus is that faster rucks means less structure. A no-brainer really.
RE-EDUCATION AT JUNIOR FOOTBALL
We need to address the way we are coaching our young footballers.
Too many are being taught solely structure and not how to read a game. Some of the buzz words which have crept into rugby league make me nauseous.
‘Eyes up footy’ is one of them. There never was such a term, it was simply playing football.
‘Eyes up footy’ has been born out of the fact that most youngsters aren’t taught the skill of
watching, reading and reacting to a defence. Instead they’re taught, ‘go here and do this.’
The English players are coming out here and enjoying great success because they’re brought through in a system with less pressure and less emphasis on structure. We need an
overhaul.
GETTING THE CROWDS BACK
Once fans are allowed back into stadiums to watch NRL matches, we need to give them some bang for their buck.
In some stadiums there’s not even a lower grade game let alone some form of pre-game
entertainment.
You don’t need mountains of cash for some quality pre-game or halftime entertainment, just some imagination.
Mark Fennessy is a rugby league fanatic and Roosters board member, he’s also one of our best television producers and a man entrenched in the music industry.
Fennessy’s passion for the game and expertise in all matters entertainment would be hugely
beneficial in the NRL’s quest to get fans back to the football.
NOTHING SHOULD BE OFF THE TABLE
There are discussions about structuring the NRL competition differently and using a conference system, I love the fact we are finally thinking differently.
We need to talk about what our plans are for the Pacific Nations. We need to capitalise on the powerhouse that is Tonga, the constant growth of the game in Fiji and the unbridled love of league in Papua New Guinea.
We need to nurture the game in the Pacific, not just let clubs pinch all the talent. Are 40-minute halves best? Is it time for a draft?
Rugby league has always looked for better ways and in the words of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, “There’s never been a better time than right now”.